Resources: How To Play a DSD File: using Foobar2000

Getting DSD to work on a PC with Foobar2000 requires the installation of three drivers—your DAC Manufacturer's custom driver, the ASIO output driver, and the SACD driver. The following guide is a generic step-by-step approach for installing all three drivers.

Setting up Foobar2000 for DSD Playback
Installing your DAC's drivers:
1. The first thing you'll need to do is install the custom drivers provided by your DAC manufacturer. These drivers will come on disc or in most cases you can also download them from your DAC manufacturer's website.
2. Once you've downloaded and run the install for your DAC manufacture's drivers, open Foobar2000.
3. Go to File > Preferences > Playback > Output and select "Add New".
4. Select your DAC manufacturer's driver under "Drivers" and click "OK". Once this is complete, close Foobar2000.

Installing the ASIO Output and SACD Plug-in:
5. Download the ASIO output plug-in for Foobar2000 from www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_asio.
6. When the download is complete, save the file foo_out_asio.fb2k-component to the Foobar2000 Components folder.
7. Download the SACD Decoder plug-in for Foobar2000 from sourceforge.net/projects/sacddecoder/files. This is a zip file so you'll need to unpack it.
8. Open the new zip folder and double-click ASIOProxyInstall.exe. Follow the onscreen instructions using the default install.
9. After the installation is finished, copy the foo_input_sacd.dll file into Foobar2000's Components folder.
10. Open Foobar2000
11. Select Components.
12. Select Playback > Output > ASIO.

13. You will see a list of your ASIO drivers. Double click foo_dsd_asio.
14. In the ASIO Driver dropdown, select your DAC's ASIO driver.
15. The next step will vary based on your DAC. Some DACs provide Native ASIO playback while others use DoP. Check your DACs user manual for the correct setting and under DSD Playback Method select either "ASIO Native" or "dcs marker 0x05/0xFA".

By chance, I had to figure all this out last night with DSD files and foobar. Looking at your instructions, I didn't do the SACD step, so maybe I was playing the .dff files with ASIO? The occasion for me was downloading some test files at http://www.hd-klassik.com/test-downloads. To get around the site's Java requirement, download the files individually instead of clicking on headphones button above them, which downloads everything at once.

JPlay subscribers on the email list will have recently received a note about a full length sampler from the same site with a coupon code to get it free. After much back and forth with Ingo of HD-Klassic about their Java requirements (x32 not x64) and procedures, I succeeded in downloading it. I've posted instructions on the forum that should make the download simple and fast for Windows users, without having to use the site's FAQ beyond getting the Java downloader: http://jplay.eu/forum/jplay/hd-klassik-jplay-owners-special-edition-full... (14 Sept, 20:430).

P.S. I'm auditioning Adam Artist 3's right now and have found them everything of your review, except if there is any tubbiness to the bass it seems very slight. Maybe it will come out in a comparison with the CMS 40.

The qute doesn't appear to have an ASIO driver so all I have in the ASIO driver list are: foo_dsd_asio and ASIO4ALL v2.

When I get to the SACD screen if I select DSD as the ASIO Driver Mode the quteHD glows red and I get no sound. If I select PCM the qute glows blue and I get sound. Presumably this is 24/176 but not DSD?

Thanks for the "try ..." suggestions. same situation on a windows 7 x64 machine: Asio4All as sole asio-driver. ... sometimes the files are running, but with no sound; the situation is

AsioNative&pcm: running

AsioNative&dsd: error message (sample rate 44.1kHz not supported)

DoP&pcm: running

DoP&DSD: not running.

I de-installed the sacd plugin and now play the files via the dsdff plugin (...not so nice because each system activity translates into crackles). If there was an idea how to get sound out of the sacd plugin i would be grateful to learn. Thanks in advance.

Hi - I have similar issue like yours crackles and pops. Have you managed to resolve the issue? If you did I would appreciate if you could tell me how its done?
My DAC is a Schiit Bifrost Uber. Sound quality is great. Before I purchased Schiit, I was using a Chinese made Decoder/DAC and clicks and pops exist. After changing to Schiit, the clicks and pops disappeared completely and was happy. But now after downloading the software to play DSD for the future, occasional crackles and pops start to raise its ugly head while playing through my laptop.

I'm sorry to be obtuse, but I followed the instructions to download "SACD Decoder plug-in for Foobar2000 from sourceforge.net/projects/sacddecoder/files" and downloaded the latest zip file "foo_input_sacd-0.6.6.zip". However, I can't find the foo_input_sacd.dll file anywhere in the zip.

Hi there, I had the same issue. I think by now you probably have resolved it. If not, try using foo_input_sacd-0.6.0.zip instead. I was trying to use the latest and it didn't work until I stick to the old foo_input_sacd-0.6.0.zip. Hope it helps.

I have scoured the internet seeking an answer but can not get one. I have followed all steps outlined in this guide except for the External DAC driver install because the DAC is the onkyo and there are no drivers for it. I have my PC hooked up to onkyo 818 via HDMI. I have configured Foobar with all necessary plugins as specified and tried every setting. The most I get from my Onkyo is a click and occasional hum. It only plays the DSD audio via PCM. When I play DSD audio via HDMI from my oppo to receiver DSD works. Why is this different for PC. I've tried ASIO, i've tried Wasapi I can't get DSD to recognize from my PC to 818. Somebody i'm beggin' ya please help. Even onkyo said this should be possible. What is wrong. Help me Obi Wan Kenobi... you're my only hope!

But.. this I belived was a synonimous of playing DSD. Isn't it? What is the sense of Asio native for ASus?!
So I have to listen sacd in what the asus allows? that is PCM 176,4khz?
If it's so, I lost a lot of quality?
Sorry for these many questions, hoping will be usefull for other usrs like me,
Thank you very much!!!

I found your site a few days ago quite by chance when I was looking for a way to set up Foobar2000 to play DSD files.
I bought an Acer 4-core laptop in 2014 and have been using it with Windows 8.1 and an AMR iFi iDSD Nano DAC and a USB 1TB external drive for storing the files (FLAC or WAV files only at that stage but the Nano supports both DSD128 and DSD256). At that time I was using BOOM.EXE and liked its simplicity.

I've been an SACD devotee since its inception so I was obviously going to be interested in hearing DSD files. I decided to upgrade the laptop to Windows 10 (to be honest I was never a big fan of Windows 8 or 8.1) and realising that BOOM would not be able to play any type of DSD file I decided on Foobar2000.

I have followed your instructions for setting up Foobar for DSD but I cannot see 'Add New' when I open FooBar and proceed to navigate through File > Preferences > Playback > Output. I had the DAC connected to the Acer's USB 3.0 port at the time but I suspect I really need to have the DAC driver file on the laptop too. Is that correct? (The latest driver was installed via my XP desktop). Incidentally there are two sets of driver files for the DAC, so perhaps I should have them both on the laptop. Where should I store them?